Tool-handle fastener.



E. J. WEAVER.

. TOOL HANDLE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1915.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS ll s EDGAR JACOB WEAVER, or WESTERVILLE, OHIO.

TOOL-HANDLE FASTENER.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 26, f llfi.

Application fild Jl'un 18, 1915. Serial No. 34,888.

2 b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDGAR J. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of il esterville, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tool-Handle Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to provide a tool handle fastener especially adapted to be used with a wire splicing clamp, and having automatically adjustable fastening means by which the tool may be securely clamped upon a wire.

A further object of my invetnion is to pro vide a handle fastener which may be folded out of the way when it is desired to use the tool without the fastening device.

With these and other objects in View, my invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire splicing clamp with my improved handle fastener folded into an inoperative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of splicing clamp handles with my fastening device in operative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Figs. f and 5 are enlarged front and side views respectively of the locking pawl.

Referring to the drawings, at A I have shown a wire splicing clamp of standard construction, comprising the pivoted handles l. and 2 and the wire engaging notches 3. The end of one of the handles is bent back upon itself as shown at 4c, forming a bearing for a bolt 5, by which the locking bar 6 is pivoted to the handle as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The locking bar 6 is substantially U shaped in cross section, and has a series of engaging notches 7 formed integral with the bar at its upper portion, and an enlarged curved lower portion 8 adapted to fit around and be pivoted to the end 4 of handle 2.

A locking pawl 9, formed with a bearing notch 10 at its upper end, bears against a bolt 11 extending through the locking bar below the notches 7, and is pivotally secured thereto by a spring 12 at either side of the pawl, which bears against the locking bar 6 at one end, is then coiled around the bolt 11,

and then bears against the back of the locking pawl, being seatedin a groove 13 formed at each side of the pawl for this purpose. A. notch ll is formed in the back turned end a of handle 2, in which the pawl 9 engages when the locking bar is folded down upon the handle 2, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. Another notch 15 is formed in the curved portion of the end 4c, which is adapted to engage pawl 9 when the locking bar is in operative position. When the pawl is engaged in the angle formed by the sides of the notch 15, the lower side of the pawl lies against the rear side 17 of the notch. A link 16 is secured to the back of locking bar 6 to hold the handles 1 and 2 together when the clamp is not in use.

p The operation of my device is as follows. When it is desired to use the splicing clamp without my attachment, the locking bar is folded down on handle 2, the spring pressed locking pawl engaging notch 1a and so holdingthe locking bar out of the way. When the attachment is to be used, the locking bar is moved to its operative or right-angle position, the looking pawl 9 engaging the notch 15, and the handle 1 being extended beyond the end of the locking bar. The clamp is now placed onthe wire and the handles closed. As the handle 1 slips over the notches 7, it will force the locking bar and the pawl backward, but when the wire is tightly clamped and the handle 1 engaged in one of the notches, the spring pressed pawl will slide over the rounded shoulder 17 back into the notch 15, and so hold the locking bar tightly against the handle 1, thus se curely locking the handles.

It will thus be seen that l. have provided a device by the use of which a splicing clamp can be closed and securely locked with one hand, a feature of great convenience to linemen.

lVhile for the purpose of illustration I have shown my handle fastener applied to a splicing clamp, it will be obvious that it can be applied equally as well to any tool of the pivoted handle type.

I claim 1. A tool comprising clamping members provided with pivoted handles, one of the handles having a back turned portion on one end thereof, the said back turned portion having a cut away portion adjacent to the handle, and a notch above the said cut away portion, a locking bar pivoted to the said handle and having notches adapted to engage the other handle, a spring pressed pawl pivoted to the locking bar to engage the above mentioned cut away portion when the device'is in inoperative position, and to engage the above mentioned notch when the device is in operative position, and a link pivoted to the inner end of the locking bar.

2. The combination in a tool provided with pivoted handles, one of the said handles having a back turned portion on the end thereof, formin a bearing, a locking bar comprising back and side members, the inner end of the said back member being curved to bear against the above mentioned backturned portion, and the side members extending over the sides of the said back turned portion, a bolt passing through the inner end of the locking bar and the above mentioned bearing, and means for engaging the other handle andthe locking bar.

3 The combination in a tool having pivoted handles, one of the handles having a 7 bearing at one end, the said bearing having a cut away portion adjacent to the handle and a notch above the said cut away portion, a locking bar pivoted to the said handle, a spring pressed pawl pivoted to the locking bar to engage the above mentioned cut away portion when the device is in inoperative positionand to engage the notch when the device is in operative position, and means for engaging the locking bar and the other handle.

4:. A fastening device for aotool having pivoted handles, comprising a locking bar pivoted to one of the handles, and having means for engaging the other handle, a bolt passing through the locking bar, a pawl having a bearing notch engaging the said bolt, springs coiled around the bolt and bearing against the locking bar at one end and against either side of the pawl at the other end, the first mentioned handle having notches adapted to be engaged by the said pawl.

5. A fastening device for a tool having pivoted handles, comprising a locking bar pivoted to one of the handles and having notches on the outer end thereof adapted to be engaged by the other handle, and means comprising a spring pressed pawl pivoted to the locking bar and adapted to engage the first mentioned handle for yieldably holding the locking bar against the second mentioned handle.

6. A fastening device for a tool having pivoted handles, comprising a locking bar pivoted to one of the handles and adapted to be folded upon the said handle, and means comprising a yieldable member pivoted to the said locking bar and engaging the said handle for yieldably engaging the locking bar and the other handle.

7. A fastening device for pivoted handles comprising a locking bar secured to one handle and means comprising a pawl yieldably mounted on the said locking bar and adapted to engage the said handle for yieldably engaging the locking bar and the other handle.

8. A fastening device for pivoted handles comprising a locking bar secured to one handle and means for securing the said locking bar and the other handle comprising a pawl mounted upon the said locking bar and adapted to en age the first mentioned handle.

9. A fastening device for pivoted handles comprising a locking bar pivoted to one of the handles, a spring pressed pawl pivoted to the locking bar, and means for engaging the pawl and handle to yieldably hold the locking bar in a desired position.

EDGAR JACOB WEAVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

